


Peace

by ExtraSteps



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Blogging, Kissing, M/M, Online Friendship, Photography, Pining, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-04-22 18:17:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14314416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExtraSteps/pseuds/ExtraSteps
Summary: Nolan stumbles across a blog and starts an unlikely friendship.





	1. Chapter 1

After the lacrosse game, Nolan lingered, sitting on the bench and pulling off his helmet, running a hand through his hair, damp with sweat. It had been a hard game, but somehow they'd come up with the win, the first time in recent memory that Beacon High had actually managed to beat Devenford Prep. It was largely due to Liam Dunbar, the co-captain along with Nolan, who had scored a goal in overtime when the captain of the other team had lost concentration for a second. That second was all they'd needed.   


Pulling off one glove and then the other, Nolan chucked them with his helmet. He glanced to the side, where the Devenford Coach had a hand fisted in Brett Talbot's shirt, berating him. The taller boy was hanging his head, expression unreadable, and Nolan's stomach dropped. He hated yelling at the best of times, and the anger on the opposition coach's face made him cringe. But something made him stay, kept him sitting on the bench, slowly stripping off his gear.   


Finally, the coach walked away, which was lucky because Nolan was all out of gear. He stood up, gathering it all up, eyes down, even as his every sense was strained towards his right, listening for the other boy.   


He heard him come closer. "You were listening to all that." It wasn't a question.   


Nolan looked up at him, colouring. He nodded slowly. "Just wanted to make sure he didn't go too far," he said quietly.   


Brett considered him, tilting his head. "Because someone has before," he said, far too observant for his own good. Nolan shuddered, but nodded again, starting to walk towards the changerooms. The other boy fell into step beside him, both of them pausing as they reached them. "Thanks," he said quietly.   


"You're welcome," Nolan said, but Brett was already walking away.   


Nolan stared after him, sighing, filled with longing. It was the first time Brett Talbot had ever noticed him, and he'd talked to him. He hadn't even made a fool of himself. Counting it as a win, he walked into the locker room, smile dancing on his lips.

***   


Nolan fell onto his bed with a sigh, grabbing his laptop and logging in. The group chat was full of self-congratulations, mostly Liam again, talking everyone up and telling them what a good job they all did. He was good at that, at talking to people, inspiring them. And since the whole werewolf revelation, people only seemed to respect him more. He responded to a few people congratulating him in his DM's and then put on some music, bringing up his blog.   


Surprisingly, he had a few new followers, apparently brought in from his last post. He pulled up his notifications, checking out each of their blogs in turn, but in the end only one caught his eye. They'd actually posted a few minutes ago, and Nolan read it, eyebrows raising.   


_ Everywhere I go there are eyes. Following, judging, finding me wanting. It would be easier if I could turn invisible, if the expectations of the whole world weren't resting on my shoulders. But then I feel his eyes, and the rest of them fall away. Nothing bad can happen when he looks at me. For him, I could take on the world and win. _ _   
_

Nolan read it again, and then a third time, lingering slowly on each word, turning them over in his mind. It was simple, but at the same time powerful. He liked it, following the blog as well, eagerly scrolling through the rest of their blog to see what else they'd written.

There was a lot of photos, mostly landscapes. This person seemed to love forests in particular, and was actually really talented. There was one in particular that caught Nolan's attention. It was a shallow creek, and the light over the water made it seem like the photograph was moving. Nolan could almost hear the water over the rocks. He reblogged it, writing a short caption underneath;  _ Peace looks like this. _

Moments later, Nolan got a message. Opening it, he was delighted to see that it was from the original poster.   


_ ~It's one of my favourite places, and you're right, it is peaceful. B. _ _   
_

_ ~It looks beautiful. I wish I had a place like that. I'd go there all the time. N. _   


He considered signing his name, but the other person hadn't, so in the end he chickened out.

Somewhat embarrassed, Nolan left his room, going to get a drink of water before returning, finding another message. He settled back in his bed, laptop resting on his knees as he opened it.   


_ ~It's really deep in the woods where I live. I found it one day when I was running. Now I go there all the time. _ _   
_

_ ~You go running in the woods? Isn't that dangerous? _   


Nolan was worried. He didn't know this person at all, but if the woods where this person lived were anything like the ones in Beacon Hills, then going deep inside them was incredibly dangerous.   


_ ~You don't need to worry about me. I can handle myself. _   


Nolan rolled his eyes.   


_ ~That's what they all say. No one's that tough. _ _   
_

_ ~Believe me, I'm the scariest thing out there. Anyway, I'm gonna head to bed. Have a good night. B. _   


Nolan's heart raced. Was this blogger a supernatural creature? Like Liam and the others? He couldn't think of anything else that might be in the woods that would scare them.   


He had no idea what to say to that. Most of his fear had dimmed with familiarity. Liam had taught him that werewolves were only dangerous when they had no control, and explained that he and his friends protected the town from all the nastier creatures out there. Nolan trusted him, that he'd warn Nolan if there was anything worse out there.   


In the end, he just sent back a simple 'good night' and closed his laptop, brow furrowed.   


Lying down in his bed, he stared up at the ceiling, hands folded on his chest. What a day.   


***

It was the weekend, and normally Nolan slept the morning away, especially after a lacrosse game, but he woke early Saturday morning feeling itchy and restless.   


He paced around his room, picking things up and discarding them, playing games on his phone, even logging into his laptop, but none of it sat right. Opening up his blog, he made a post.   


_ Jumping out of my skin. I need to get out. Searching for peace. _   


He closed it with a definitive nod, getting changed into running clothes and grabbing his earbuds. Nolan plugged them into his phone, chose a playlist and quietly let himself out of the house.   


This early, there weren't many people around, which suited Nolan perfectly. He didn't feel like dealing with anyone else right now.   


Nolan jogged over to the high school. It was only five minutes away from his house and normally a few laps of that was enough to settle him. But instead, he eyed the preserve at the far end of the lacrosse pitch, wary but curious. It was an unspoken rule:  _ stay out of the woods _ , but Nolan was feeling reckless.

With a glance around to make sure there was no one watching him, Nolan jogged until he was standing at the edge of the treeline. He gazed into it, eyes darting around but nothing screamed danger. It was just trees and birds and the wet smell of the earth.   


Taking a deep breath, Nolan began to walk.

Once he got over the fear that someone was going to jump out and kill him, the preserve was actually quite nice. Nolan looked up at the swaying tree tops, admiring the way the sunlight dappled through the leaves. There was beauty here.   


He lost track of time, wandering deeper and deeper into the woods, daydreaming. A loud snap made him jump, and he swivelled his head around, every sense straining outwards.   


Nolan turned in a slow circle, searching the woods but there was nothing to see but trees, trees and more trees.   


But... was that water?   


Closing his eyes, he tilted his head until he pinpointed where it was coming from. He headed in that direction, moving more cautiously now, staying more aware of his surroundings.   


The sound of the water became louder and louder, until finally Nolan found almost stumbled over it. His jaw dropped.   


"No way," he whispered.

The large rocks, covered in moss, surrounded by ferns, the water trickling between them. It was the same, the exact same as the picture B had posted.   


Whoever B was, the "scariest" thing in the woods, this was his happy place. Nolan was standing in it. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Would they be angry?   


Nervously, Nolan took a step back.

He turned, only to come up against a hard, muscled chest. Two hands encircled his arms, catching him and preventing him from falling. Nolan froze.   


Slowly, he looked up, eyes widening. "You're a long way from home," Brett drawled.

"Brett," he whispered. Brett. B.  _ Oh my god. _   


"What are you doing here, Nolan?" Brett asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"I was just walking," he said quietly. He could feel his heart racing in his chest, as well as the warmth from where Brett was touching him, and shuddered.   


"Are you afraid of me?" Brett asked, looking amused. Nolan took the question seriously. Brett had claimed he was dangerous.   


"Should I be?" He asked nervously.   


Brett smiled at him, showing fangs. "Probably," he said. He leaned closer but all he did was take a deep breath, nostrils flaring. He hummed, eyes fluttering closed. "You smell good, Nolan," he sighed. "Really good."   


"Oh, um, thank you?" Nolan stuttered.   


Brett opened his eyes, only now they were gold instead of silver. Nolan relaxed imperceptibly. Werewolf. He could deal with werewolf.   


"You've seen one of my kind before," Brett stated. Imperceptible to anyone who wasn't a supernatural creature, anyway.   


Nolan nodded. "Liam and the others."   


"I didn't realise you knew about us," Brett said. "Liam must trust you."   


"He didn't to start off with," Nolan said, "but yeah, I like to think he does now."   


Brett frowned slightly. He finally dropped his hands, and Nolan fought back a pout. He walked past Nolan to sit one one of the larger rocks by the creek. Nolan watched him. He hadn't told him to leave, but he hadn't exactly asked him to stay either. He wavered, but in the end there was only one real choice.

He moved to sit next to Brett, wrapping his arms around his knees and listening to the sound of the water sighing and trickling over the rocks. He could definitely see why Brett came here all the time. It was so lovely.   


"I was right," he said after a few minutes of comfortable silence.   


"Hmm?" Brett asked drowsily.   


"This is definitely what peace looks like," Nolan sighed. "I can see why you come here all the time."   


Brett laughed. "Should have known that was you."   


Nolan smiled, turning his head to look at him, finding Brett already studying him. "You don't mind?" Nolan asked.   


"No," Brett said. "I'm glad actually."   


"Is that so?" Nolan asked, raising an eyebrow at him.   


"If I was going to share my peace with anyone, I'd want it to be you," Brett admitted, his voice low. He turned away, a light blush on his cheeks.

Nolan stared at him, excitement growing in his chest. Did that mean what he thought it meant?   


His mind turned abruptly back to the post Brett had made the night before _. For him, I could take on the world and win _ . Had Brett been writing about him?

"You sound like you're going to have a heart attack," Brett murmured. "What is it?"   


"You can hear it?" Nolan asked. He knew that their hearing was good but he hadn't realised it was that good.   


"Yeah," Brett said, turning back to him, head tilted slightly as he stared at his chest.   


Slowly, his eyes dragged up, until he was meeting Nolan's gaze. They were back to their usual silver now, utterly breathtaking, and Nolan drowned in them.   


"It's even faster now," Brett whispered, leaning closer.   


He paused and Nolan's eyes flicked down to Brett's lips and back up again. He wanted to kiss him so badly, it was like an ache in his chest, or maybe that was just the pounding of his heart.   


Brett leaned closer again, his breath puffing against Nolan's face. It was an exquisite form of torture, the anticipation before a kiss, and the air was heavy with tension.   


The whole world seemed to hold its breath, Nolan included.

The kiss, when it came, was soft, like puffy white clouds on a warm spring day, like a sleepy puppy cradled in your arms, like fairy floss melting on your tongue.   


It was everything good, and Nolan sighed, eyes fluttering closed, feeling the peace settle into his bones. Yes, this had been what he was looking for.   


***

The next day there was a new post on Brett's blog. It was of two hands, a hint of the forest in the background.   


_ Happiness looks like this. _


	2. Chapter 2

Brett had taken his eye off the ball for a second. He’d been running towards it, leaning down to scoop it up when a scent had hit his nose, pulling his attention away. His golden eyes had zeroed in someone and by the time he’d looked back, Liam had flicked it away and scooped it up, barreling towards the goal. Brett had chased him, but he’d known already that that single moment of inattention had cost him the game.

He hadn’t cared though. His teammates groaned as his coach threw his clipboard to the ground, but he was already searching the field for the source of that bewitching scent. Brett had been catching wisps of it for the whole game, feeling an itching between his shoulders as someone watched him, but with the confusion of scents covering the field he hadn’t been able to narrow it down.

On the sidelines, his coach screamed in his face, but Brett wasn’t even listening. All of the players had left the field for the promise of a hot shower, apart from one.

One boy, with floppy light brown hair and pale skin. Liam’s co-captain, Nolan Holloway. Brett didn’t really know him, but he certainly held his attention now. He was stripping off his gear, glancing over every now and again, almost like he was checking up on him. It made Brett feel antsy, though he couldn’t quite figure out why. Was he a threat?

His coach had finally realised that Brett wasn’t listening and huffed, storming off, and Brett approached the other boy.

They’d talked, and the whole time Brett’s eyes had been tracing his features, taking in the freckles, the pale blue eyes, the chapped lips. He didn’t seem like a threat up close; he smelt amazing. His wolf was enraptured, hanging on his every word, breathing in his scent.

Brett had been reluctant to leave him, but there was no reason to stay, or at least none that he could make without sounding like an idiot. And he really didn’t want this nervous caring boy to think he was an idiot.

He had gone home only long enough to shower and change, before sitting out on his porch and breathing in the earthy scent of the forest, letting it cool his heated blood. Brett had never reacted to someone like that before. It was like lava had been burning under his skin, melting his bones, his wolf whining and trying to get out. It wanted its mate.

God, the way he’d looked at him, the longing in his eyes, had made Brett feel a tingle in his fingertips. Even now, just remembering it sent a shudder down his spine. All he’d wanted to do was put Nolan over his shoulder, take him home and never let him leave. He wanted to rub his body all over the other boys, combining their scents into one. Pine trees and peppermint.

After awhile the thoughts in his head had turned from fantasising to a deep ache, an emptiness that left him feeling lonely and restless. He went into his room and opened his laptop, mindlessly scrolling through tumblr until a poem caught his eye.

He hovered over it with his mouse, reading the words, then reading it again, and again. There was a tenderness to the words that touched him; he could almost feel the phantom fingers trailing on his skin. The loneliness ebbed, and he reblogged the poem, then following the blog.

Leaving the page open to keep looking at, he opened up his own blog, feeling inspired. Brett closed his eyes briefly, remembering the feeling of those eyes on his body, that bewitching scent, the cute little fangs sinking into chapped pink lips.

He started typing.

_ Everywhere I go there are eyes. Following, judging, finding me wanting. It would be easier if I could turn invisible, if the expectations of the whole world weren't resting on my shoulders. But then I feel his eyes, and the rest of them fall away. Nothing bad can happen when he looks at me. For him, I could take on the world and win. _   


Examining it with critical eyes, he eventually pressed the post button. It wasn’t perfect, but it helped the last of the tension leave his shoulders.

He was just lying down to sleep when a notification lit up his phone screen, illuminating his bedroom. Brett picked it up. Nomusic had followed him back and reblogged a photo he’d taken a few days ago at the creek, writing a cute caption underneath. 

_ Peace looks like this. _

Brett settled back into his pillows with a soft smile. Opening up the messaging tab, he shot off a text, receiving a reply back almost immediately. He stared at the signature ~N, hope blossoming in his chest. Surely it couldn’t be him? Life wasn’t that kind.

After exchanging a few messages, Brett said goodnight and closed his phone, holding it against his chest and staring up at the ceiling. 

“Please let it be him,” he whispered, rolling onto his side and putting his phone back on the bedside table. He closed his eyes, snuggling into the covers and sighing.

What felt like a second later, bird song woke him. It was false dawn, grey light filtering into the room through his curtains. Brett lay there for a few minutes, contemplating further sleep, but instead he rolled to his feet. His wolf was restless, itching inside him, desperate to run, so he changed and headed out into the preserve.

He’d given his wolf control, not realising that they were chasing a scent until he was almost on top of the person in front of him, catching at his arms as he stepped back into his chest.

That scent hit him, filling his nostrils. Peppermint. Nolan.

Brett fought back control from his wolf, more docile now that their mate was in front of them, and moved over to his favourite sun-soaked rock. Nolan sat beside him, and Brett drank him in, blushing at the happiness and light sweet scent of arousal that flowed between them. Nolan’s heartbeat was like thunder and Brett focused on it, staring at his chest.

It had taken an age to draw his eyes up, meeting Nolan’s gaze, being drawn in like a magnet. He couldn’t have fought against the pull even if he wanted to.

Nolan’s lips were chapped, rough against Brett’s, but they sent fire burning through Brett’s veins. Cold fingers slid up his chest and wrapped around the back of his neck, holding him close as he gently brushed his lips over Nolan’s. Pulling away was painful, but he did it, staring down at Nolan, waiting as his eyelashes flickered and then opened, gazing up at him, filled with awe. This close, Brett could see the light green flecks in his eyes mixed in with the blue.

“Wow,” Nolan whispered.

Did humans feel it, when they found their soulmate? Did they  _ know _ ?

“Wow,” Brett agreed with a nod and a soft smile. He wrapped his arms around Nolan, picking him up and moving him so that he was sitting sideways on his lap, burying his face in Nolan’s neck and holding him close. Nolan gave a pleased hum, nuzzling into his chest, and they sat there for what felt like hours, just enjoying each others warmth.

Every now and again Nolan looked up at him, presenting his lips for a kiss and Brett smiled and leaned down to oblige him, just soft, slow kisses that explored rather than aroused. Brett didn’t press for more. This was enough for now, more than enough.

Brett lifted his head, realising how much time had passed from the bright sunlight that filtered through the trees above them.

“Are you hungry?” He asked quietly.

Nolan considered this. “Yes actually,” he said after a moment, almost sheepish. “I didn’t have any breakfast before I left the house. I’m starving.”

“Come on,” Brett said, lifting him up onto his feet and standing as well. He held out a hand, and Nolan looked at it, blushing like he hadn’t just been plastered to Brett’s front only moments earlier. Reaching up, he took Brett’s hand, giving him a shy smile as Brett intertwined their fingers.

“This way,” Brett said, blushing as well as he looked away. Nolan’s hand felt so tiny in his, cool to the touch compared to the heat coming from his own body. Werewolves always ran hot.

He lead Nolan back to his little house, setting him up at a stool in the kitchen as he started moving around, pulling out food and frying it all up, eventually pushing a plate with bacon and eggs piled on top of toast in front of Nolan.

“This looks amazing,” Nolan said, his eyes shining as he looked down at it, his stomach growling with hunger. “Thank you, Brett.”

“You’re welcome,” Brett said warmly, watching as Nolan dug in, his chest warm as he watched his mate eat the food he’d provided for him. It felt good, really good. The future stretched in front of him, far less daunting than it had been just a few days ago, filled with soft smiles and even softer kisses.

They finished their food and Brett washed the dishes with Nolan pressed against his side, wiping and placing the dishes Brett passed to him on the bench. Brett put them away and then turned to look at him, searching his face.

“What do you want to do now?” Nolan asked, blushing and looking down. He blushed easily, but Brett just found it endearing. There was something fragile about Nolan that made him want to smother him in kisses and hold him close.

Brett glanced out the window. “It looks like a nice day. We could just get a blanket and lie out in the sun?” All he wanted was to be close to Nolan, for as long as he could. He didn’t care about anything else.

“Sounds nice,” Nolan agreed, flashing him a quick smile.

Brett walked past him, brushing a hand over his arm and walking into the lounge room, grabbing the blanket he’d left draped over the back of it and opening the side door, leading the shorter blonde outside.

His house was surrounded on all sides by trees, secluded but with enough space that it didn’t feel claustrophobic. Satomi had gifted him this place when he’d turned 18, telling him that he would need his own space now that he was an adult. It was basic, but had everything that he could possibly need, and his wolf loved being surrounded by nature like this. He’d never felt more peaceful in his life, until now.

He found a reasonably soft patch of grass and placed the blanket over it, sprawling across it, face turned up to the sun and eyes drifting closed, warm and content. Nolan didn’t join him, but Brett could hear him moving around, inspecting his surroundings.

His heartbeat was steady, and Brett rolled onto his side, watching as Nolan leaned down to examine a patch of wildflowers. He started picking them, lifting them up to his nose and inhaling their scent, a soft smile on his lips. He looked like a fae, almost ethereal in his beauty, especially when he tucked one he liked behind his ear, glancing over at Brett with a wide grin.

“Cute,” Brett said, winking at him.

Nolan walked over to him, arms full with an array of colourful wildflowers, happiness making his eyes shine an even brighter blue. 

He sat down beside Brett, arranging them into piles with similar colours. Brett watched him curiously as he selected one and then another, starting to weave them together, his fingers soon becoming stained green as he deftly twisted and knotted them into what Brett was starting to realise was a flower crown. The whites and yellows and pinks looked sweet, and smelled even sweeter as Nolan beamed at him, leaning down to place it on Brett’s hair.

He sat back up, examining the effect.

“How do I look?” Brett asked.

“Like the most beautiful boy in the whole world,” Nolan said seriously.

Brett blushed. “Impossible,” he whispered hoarsely. “That’s clearly you.”

Nolan screwed his nose up, looking back down at the flowers, a shadow on his face. Brett sat up, reaching for him, cradling his face in his hands.

“Nolan,” he said quietly. “I think you’re lovely. The most exquisite creature I’ve ever seen.”

“Really?” Nolan asked tentatively, eyes shining bright with unshed tears, doubt making his lips tremble.

He caught Nolan’s hand, bringing it to rest against Brett’s chest, right over his heart. “Really,” he said firmly. “Nolan, you’re beautiful.”

Brett didn’t even have time to blink as Nolan launched at him, pressing him back against the blanket, lips sliding over his. It was desperate and hot, and Brett arched up into him, sliding his hands up into Nolan’s hair and holding him close.

Nolan pushed himself up on his hands, cheeks flushed and panting for breath. Brett brought a hand around, adjusting Nolan’s flower, smiling at him.

“Thank you,” Nolan said, voice hoarse with strong emotion.

“For what?” Brett asked curiously.

Nolan shook his head, looking bemused. “I don’t know, existing?”

Brett laughed. “I can’t really take credit for that one.”

This made Nolan laugh as well, and he fell back on the blanket, eyes crinkled up at the edges, holding his chest as he laughed, and slowly Brett's smile dropped as he studied him, deeply moved again by how utterly lovely Nolan was. Everything he did was endlessly fascinating to Brett, a new shiny thing to be treasured and memorised; each smile, the soft giggle, the fondness in his eyes as he turned his head and looked at him, the soft brush of his fingers against Brett's as he slowly intertwined them. All just so precious that Brett felt an ache in his chest, full to bursting with happiness that was almost painful in its intensity.

He looked down at their hands, at the pale skin of Nolan’s delicate hand dwarfed by his larger, more tanned one. Pulling his phone out of his pocket with his other hand, he snapped a photo, posting it onto his blog.

_ Happiness looks like this. _

Nolan smiled, resting his head on his shoulder, curling into his side, their fingers still tightly clasped together.

Brett let his phone fall to the blanket and settled back, closing his eyes, the sun shining down on both of them.

“I could stay like this forever,” Nolan whispered.

“Good,” Brett said, opening his eyes and looking down at him, meeting Nolan’s curious gaze, the question clear in his bright blue eyes. “I’m not letting you go,” Brett said seriously. Nolan smiled, leaning up to press a soft kiss to his lips. Brett leaned into it with a happy sigh, wrapping his arm around him, pulling Nolan even closer.

Nolan was the one to break the kiss this time, leaning his head against his chest, cheek pressed over his heart, eyes closed and face peaceful.

“I’m not letting you go either,” Nolan said, so quietly that even with his supernatural talents, Brett had to strain to hear him.

He smiled, kissing the top of Nolan’s head.

The future looked bright indeed.


End file.
